ENGLAND’S ANTHONY WATSON is set to make his long-awaited return for Bath against Sale Sharks in the Premiership tomorrow.

Watson suffered a torn Achilles in the 2018 Six Nations, ruling him out for around six months, and then ruptured the tendon again in pre-season following an unsuccessful operation.

Bath director of rugby Todd Blackadder refused to put a date on the 25-year-old’s return at the time, describing the second issue as a “start-again injury”.

But Watson is now back in the fold and has been named at fullback in the Bath XV to face Sale, ending a stretch of over a year on the sidelines.

The return of the 33-cap England star will come as a boost to head coach Eddie Jones ahead of this year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Watson, who started on the wing in all three British & Irish Lions tests against New Zealand in 2017, signed a new long-term contract with Bath last November.